From Darkness to Light
by Sangre Viento
Summary: My first story. It's about Zaknafein, Drizzt's father when he got drunk and cannot control his tempers. PG-13 for descripted violence and murders (Hey, what's Menzoberranzan without them?)
1. Default Chapter

Author's Note: This is my first work, so don't be too harsh, ok? It's not finished yet, but I wanted to know if it's good enough to be continued. This would be the base for my other story, about Drizzt when he joins Bregan D'Aerthe.

Sorry for the repeated use of drow words. I just plain liked them. And my English sucks. Just feel free to read this and review it.

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From Darkness to Light

Kaarlick the halfling had been working as a bartender in the _Velve Da're_ (Sword Arm) tavern for nearly ten years and he had seen many customers. But he rarely saw a drow with life in his eyes. Most of the male drows he had seen lived only to kill, betray, and torture others. Their eyes said it all. They are only mindless slaves of Lloth. Only a few had life in their eyes, and even fewer that lived to visit his bar once again. Menzoberranzan was never the place for life. It is a place of death and betrayal.

Today he saw a flicker of life inside one of his bar patrons. A drow noble, drinking as if his throat is a bottomless well. 

" More ale, bartender! " The drow noble shouted.

" Sir, that is not ordinary ale. It is imported from the surface, it is called Firewine and you have drank enough that even a _rothe _would collapse from it " 

The drow threw some adamantite coins in front of the bartender. 

" I said more ale! "

" Okay, okay. Just don't drink too much, okay? I don't want any brawls in my tavern. "

Zaknafein Do'Urden nodded and continued his drinking. His mind is full of thoughts, and drinking is the only way to let go of them. His son was going to graduate from the Melee-Maghtere in two days. He knew what horrible events that waited for his only son. He had gone through the rituals once, and it horrified him everytime he remembered it. Drizzt is softer than he is, the rituals would have a terrible effect on him. And what awaits Drizzt once he graduates? A life just like his? A weapon master who did anything the matron orders him to do. If the matron said kill then he kills, eventhough his heart told him not to do so. He can bear with it. He can overcame the pain whenever he did something his heart forbid. But Drizzt? He knew his son wouldn't be able to defeat his own heart. Drizzt is too kind, too soft for a drow. And the reward for kindness in Menzoberranzan is death.

"That's the last mug I'll fetch you. You'd better find yourself an inn before you get into trouble."

The bartender's voice broke Zaknafein's thoughts.

"And why can't I sleep here? "

" Because I run a tavern, not an inn for drunkards like you that awoke to find that they had no money to pay the bill."

" Nice business policy. "

Zaknafein stumbled out of the tavern, wondering where should he go. Malice would kill him if she found him like this. And he didn't want to go home, not to that house. The house had too many memories for him. The days when he was young, days when he and Malice still loved each other. He shivered when he thought of Malice. There is no place for him in her heart now. He is now a mere tool that can be disposed of whenever it became useless. He shivered too whenever he thought of Lloth. Lloth, the Spider Goddess. Lloth, the deity who controlled Menzoberranzan. The one responsible for making drows, at least in Menzoberranzan, evil.

Why can't they fight? Why do they have to surrender to every whims of Lloth? Why do drows surrender to their destiny? The thoughts raced through his mind as he walked across the streets. Then his thoughts flew to Jarlaxle. The bald drow had formed a band of mercenaries called Bregan D'Aerthe. Members of the band are mostly males, eager to change their destiny. Males in Menzoberranzan were destined to be slaves to the females. The high priestesses, the rulers of the city, were all female. The master of Melee-Maghtere, a place that had mostly male students, is a female. Even the deity of the city, Lloth, is a goddess.

"Maybe I should join Bregan D'Aerthe." He thought. He would have a better future in Bregan D'Aerthe than what future awaits him now. 

" But do you have the courage to do so? " His heart asked. 

Lost in his thought, Zaknafein didn't pay attention to the street he walked. He didn't even see a little drow running towards him. BAM! Both drows, the small and the big one fell to the ground. 

The kid didn't say a thing. He continued his run towards a small alley. He didn't want to stay and wait for the older drow to hit him or something. Drows are, mostly, evil. Especially when the drow is a noble. 

Zaknafein patted his pants and gathered his senses. And then he saw something on the ground. A ring. The ring is a plain one, made of silver. But the gemstone on top of it, though dusty and not attractive, caught Zak's eyes. He never saw a gemstone like that, possibly another thing from surface.

How did the kid got such ring? He thought. It is certainly not his, the ring is big enough for my finger and the gemstone is a bit odd. 

Then it came to him. If it is not his, that means…

The kid had stolen it from someone else! 

He quickly checked his belt. His purse is gone. 

" Damn street svirfneblin! "

He won't be able to catch the kid. The kid surely knows how to escape in this city's long-labyrinth like-slums.

" At least he left the ring. "

He had walked only a little more when he saw a priestess and four of her guards. The priestess is from house Baenre, the first house. She was chanting and looking at a mirror. She is looking for something with magic, he thought.

He was going to give the group a wide berth when the priestess shouted.

" You, worthless male over there! Come here!"

In a normal day, Zak would come and listen like an obedient pet. Today, he is drunk and pissed off. But he came over nevertheless. 

" What is it do you need from me, Priestess of Lloth? "

" A Do'Urden, eh? Guards, search him. "

" What do you want? "

" I am searching for something and I believe you have it. Guards, you heard me! Strip him if you must. Matron Malice won't mind."

As if I am her pet. Zak is furious now. His mood had been bad all day, he had been pickpocketed, and now a Priestess of the goddess he hate most is going to strip him in front of public! Unable to think clearly because of the Firewine, Zak slapped away the hands of a guard.

" You want to defy me? Guards, kill him! You'll search the ring from his corpse if you must. "

" Kill me? You needed another thousand years of practice to even scratch me. "

Zaknafein started his deadly dance. Each hand wielded one Adamantite sword. Sword clashed against swords. Even under the effects of Firewine, Zak is still much better than the guards. He avoided a slash while cutting the attacking guard's head. Then his leg moved towards another one's stomach, knocking the guard to the ground.

His sword flashed again, one sword blocked a strike while the other pierced through the attacker's chest. The guard on the ground raised immediately, only to meet Zak's sword in the middle of his eyes. The last guard attacked blindly. Zaknafein flawlessly blocked strike after strike. Then he launched his attack, one sword arcing low, forcing the guard to block low. Then the other sword leaped, snake-like, towards the guard's throat.

The priestess was preparing a spell when Zak ran his sword through her heart. A smile of satisfaction on his face. 

The priestess cursed, " You will pay for this, filthy male! "

" Not in your lifetime. "

The drunk Zaknafein didn't even bother to clean his sword. He continued his stumbling, leaving the bodies to the slums' inhabitants. He finally stopped upon seeing an inn's emblem, a broken spear, the _Harventhus Luth'ol_. He checked in and collapsed on his room's bed, not even wondering why the innkeeper didn't ask for payment affront, nor did he remember that he had no money to pay the inn.


	2. The Dream

Chapter II: The Dream

Dark…

All Dark…

"Where am I?"

"This is your crossroads of life." A sound echoed in his head.

"Crossroads?"

"Every soul had a crossroad in their lives. Where they must choose their own destiny."

"I thought destiny was unchangeable."

"You're wrong."

"Then explain to me one thing."

"About the drows? They chose not to defy their fates, 'they' chose their own destiny."

"How do you know that?"

"Because you know it."

"Then why should I deny my fate? None other of my race had denied theirs."

"It's true, they had the chance. And so does you. What matters is, do you want to, or do you not?"

"I don't wish to be a slave to Lloth for the rest of my life. But what about Drizzt? If I leave the house, I would be a fugitive. And if Malice can't get me, she'd get Drizzt instead."

"Is that so? You're just using Drizzt as a reason to just accept your fate."

"It's not that! I…"

"You're just afraid. You're afraid to change your fate. Just like all those spineless drows out there."

"I'm NOT afraid!"

"Then do what your heart desires. Your son will have his own crossroads. Now, it's your time to choose your path."

"Tell me one thing."

"What?"

"Who are you?"

"I am your heart."

Zaknafein awoke. His head still throbbing from the Firewine. He was thinking about the strange dream. 

Do what my heart desires? What do I desire?

Then he looked around him. 

"Where am I?"

He eyed the broken spear emblem over the bed.

"The _Harventhus Luth'ol_? What am I doing here?"

Then he remembered what happened the day before. He had killed a priestess, lost his money, and stumbled into an inn without a single coin on him.

He was preparing to escape through the windows when the door opened. Zak unsheathed his swords, preparing for the worst. 

"How very friendly of you, welcoming an _abbil_ with swords." The intruder laughed.

"Jarlaxle?"

The bald drow closed the door behind him. 

"Well, well. Long time no see, Zak."

"I have no time for chit-chat. What are you doing here?"

"Hehehh. I am the one who should be asking questions. The _Harventhus Luth'ol_ is owned by the Bregan D'Aerthe."

That explains why they don't ask for payment when I checked in

"Okay, I guess D'Aerthe should have known what happened to me yesterday. So, you tell me, are you going to catch me?"

"Why should I catch you? I am thankful that someone finally had the spine to stab that bitch. Although, the amount offered for your head by house Baenre 'and' house Do'Urden is interesting."

"What? House Do'Urden too?"

"Yep. The priestess is Quasil Baenre, second daughter of house Baenre. Matron Baenre had threatened Matron Malice to hand you over or house Do'Urden would be obliterated. And Matron Malice had sworn that your action had nothing to do with the house. She had also sworn to kill you herself. What a lover, eh?"

"Damn."

"What are you going to do now? You can't stay in Menzoberranzan for long."

"I think I'll get out of town."

"It's not easy, you know that."

"What are you trying to say?"

"I have a merchant caravan that is going to Llurth Dreier. You can tag along and get out of town with ease."

"And what do you want from me?"

"Why, that's very sharp of you Zak. I'm just trying to help a friend."

"You're not the one that will help someone without reward. Now what do you want from me?"

"Nothing. Really, I do this for you, my best _abbil._" His voice has a little mocking tone.

"Are you having a fever or something?" Zak put his hand on Jarlaxle's forehead.

"Of course I'm not. You're hurting my heart, Zak. Anyway, are you taking Drizzt with you?"

"I think not. Eventhough I'm out of town, I'll have many _noamuth velg'larn _hunting my head. I don't want him to be involved."

"Then you want to leave him as he is?"

"No, Malice would sacrifice him to Lloth as my substitute. I think he'd better…"

Zaknafein stopped. Suddenly he saw Jarlaxle's grin.

"Join Bregan D'Aerthe. Just for an _abbil_, heh?" Zak's voice had a little mocking tone in it.

"Just for an _abbil_. See, 'you' asked me to have your son. I don't ask you to do anything for me, right?"

"Oh, sure. Make sure you take care of him."

"Of course, I would love to have the best graduate of Melee-Maghtere as my liutenant." 

When the mercenary leader stepped out of the room, he smiled to the drow that is waiting on the stairs.

"Nice job, Kimmuriel. You sure have played with old Zak's mind very well."

Kimmuriel Oblodra smirked. " To enter a mind so strong as his is interesting. He is different than the others. "

"What did you say to him?"

"Something about crossroads of life or such. I read them from a _rivvin_ book."

"Yes, thanks to your tinkering, now I got Drizzt Do'Urden in Bregan D'Aerthe. Let's have some drinks to celebrate this."

Both drows walked down the stairs. Then disappeared into the dim lights of Narbondel.

Dict

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Abbil: friend

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noamuth velg'larn :Wandering assassin

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rivvin : human


End file.
